Healthcare structure & delivery have undergone major upheavals over the recent years. We have moved away from the tradition of the NHS Hospitals having the reassurance and comfort of being the sole provider of healthcare. Concepts such as patients’ choice, payment by results, practice based commissioning, ISTCs and 18-week targets form the buzz words, which influence and challenge healthcare organisations in developing strategies to meet the demands of and compete in a healthcare market, which now has a plurality of providers.

Many of the proposed healthcare provision pathways are somewhat unfamiliar to the UK and yet widely established in Europe & North America.  

Clearly the pivotal role which healthcare professionals play in delivering healthcare, necessitates them to have a clear understanding of the current issues and furthermore increasingly takes them out of the traditional comfort zone of the predetermined career structure and pathway they are so familiar with and expect to fulfil.  There is a need to innovate and to explore new uncharted territories. Doctors need to explore the many opportunities made available to them by these challenges and proactively and positively engage in developing their management, communication and leadership skills, which will almost certainly be sought after attributes as part of their professional profile. Dr Hooman Sherafat